revenant

American  

[rev-uh-nuhnt] / ˈrɛv ə nənt /

noun

• revenants
  plural

1. a person who returns.

2. a person who returns as a spirit after death; ghost.

3. a corpse reanimated by a supernatural force; an undead being.

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revenant British  

/ ˈrɛvɪnənt /

noun

1. something, esp a ghost, that returns

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• revenants
  plural

Etymology

Origin of revenant

First recorded in 1820–30; from French: literally, “one returning from a long absence; ghost,” noun use of present participle of revenir “to return,” equivalent to re- “again” + ven(ir) “to come” + -ant present participle ending; see also re- -ant

Explanation

Use the word revenant to talk about someone who returns after a long absence. If your cat goes missing for weeks, only to stroll back into your house one morning, you could describe him as a revenant. Anyone who comes back after being gone for a long time can be described as revenant, which can be a noun or an adjective. You can even use revenant to talk about ghosts, in that they are said to be spirits of those returning from the dead, or a fashion trend from long ago that is popular again, like revenant tie-dye t-shirts. The word revenant comes from the French revenir, which means "to return."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

revenant revenants

This reminded me, in Italian-American culture, of pastina — a grain that has deep, revenant importance throughout both Italy, America and many countries beyond that.

From Salon ● Jan. 26, 2024

“There is, incidentally, nothing odd in the revenant being a woman,” Rady said of the Polish case.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 7, 2022

If you’re of a particular temperament - a true Music Head, for example - you can almost get spiritual about the revenant power represented by the history contained on all that vinyl.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 19, 2019

"Trauma," Díaz wrote, "is stronger than any mask; it can't be buried and it can't be killed. It's the revenant that won't stop, the ghost that's always coming for you."

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2018

Our revenant rowed to the side of a dock and held it with one hand.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

The imagery conjures a supernatural patchwork of revenants and Superman.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 26, 2024

James’s tales of revenants and demons are to supernatural fiction.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 27, 2023

“Explaining something makes it go away,” Gorey once said, and like the revenants in his pictures, he planned to stay a while.

From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2018

It is apparent that they are revenants in a kind of afterlife, their only pleasure articles from old English magazines about fly fishing and cricket.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 23, 2018

So tonight we sat and told our tales: Olakunde of Oyo, Pomp of marshy cunning-men and revenants, and me of Greece and Rome.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson